Villanova Freshman Acaden Lewis Enters Portal, Declares for Draft

Villanova freshman point guard Acaden Lewis will declare for the NBA Draft and enter the transfer portal, per a post to his Instagram account.

Lewis averaged 12.2 points, 5.3 assists and 1.9 steals per game during the 2025-26 season, setting Villanova freshman records in each of the last two categories and earning a spot on the All-Big East Rookie and Second Teams. He’ll retain college eligibility: players can declare for the draft in order to get an idea of their professional stock before withdrawing their names. Former Wildcats forward Eric Dixon did so in 2024 and received a one-game suspension from the NCAA for participating in a pre-draft showcase.

That’s probably the best path forward for Lewis, who displayed flashes of brilliance as a freshman but could use more college seasoning. His leaving the program marks a major loss that the Wildcats will need to replace: head coach Kevin Willard designed this season’s roster with an eye toward retaining players with multiple seasons of eligibility remaining.

If he does end up keeping his name in the draft or transferring, Lewis’ departure leaves the Wildcats with at least seven spots to fill on their roster heading into the 2026-27 season. Click here for a preview of Willard’s first full offseason on the Main Line.